Breathing apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

C. W. MADSBN.

BREATHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2a, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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[nave 02": 6 ho-rles Wflkuis en- W {Skim UNITED STATES Patented September 13, 1904:.

CHARLES IV. MADSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BREATHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,755, dated September 13, 1904.

Application filed August 28, 1903. Serial No. 171,036. (No model.)

To (0 whom it may OOH/00PM.

Be it known that I, CHAELEs IV. MADsnN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breathing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of breathing apparatus particularly designed for the use of liremen to prevent suifocation by smoke while in the performance of their duties in burning buildings or of other persons who may by accident or from necessity be compelled to remain in rooms or other places filled with smoke or other noxious fumes or gases.

The invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter particularly described, specifically designated in the appended claims, and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, showing its manner of use. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the reservoir, showing an air-pump therewith for charging the reservoir with air and illustrating the mouthpiece in plan. Fig. 4 is a central horizontal section of the mouthpiece, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out my invention I employ a reservoir 10, which may be made of sheet metal or other suitable material and of any desired size, it being understood that the larger the reservoir the longer the supply of air carried thereby will last. This reservoir 10 is designed to be carried on the person of the user, and preferably it is supported on the back, and to this end may be curved, as shown in Fig. 2, to adapt it to the curvature of the back. As a convenient means of securing the reservoir in place it may be provided with a strap 11, retained on the reservoir by clips 12, and adapted to be buckled about the body, as shown in Fig. 1.

Attached to the reservoir is an air-tube or, as shown in the drawings, a pair of air-tubes 13, each of which opens into the reservoir through a union let and is attached at its other end to a mouthpiece 15, which may be of any desired or suitable configuration, but is preferably of such shape that it may be readily held between the teeth of the user. A preferred form of such mouthpiece is illustrated in the drawings and consists of a substantially elliptical or elongated body having tapering ends of such size as to conveniently fit between the lips and teeth, so as to be gripped by the latter to hold the same firmly in position in the mouth, and the ends of the air-tubes 1% may be attached to nipples 16, screwed into the ends of a longitudinal passage 17, extending through the mouthpiece 15. In one side of the mouthpiece is an opening 18, which is adapted to be placed in communication with the passage 17 and is in such position and of such size as to be readily breathed through when the mouthpiece is held between the teeth and the lips closed against the same. To provide for a firm grip of the teeth to more securely hold it in position, the mouthpiece may be made of a soft or resilient substance,'such as rubber, and to prevent the escape of air when the apparatus is not in use the mouthpiece is provided with a valve or cook designed to close the opening 18. To this end the mouthpiece is provided with a vertical cavity 21, which receives a socketpiece or casing 22, opening through the upper face of the mouthpiece. The casing 22 is provided with lateral apertures 23, registered with the passage 17, and a third aperture 24, coinciding with the opening 18. Located in the casing 22 is a cylindrical slide-valve 25, having an annular reduced portion 26 between its ends and normally out of alinement with the apertures in the casing, and a coil-spring 27 interposed between the lower end of the valve 25 and the bottom of the casing 22 holds the valve normally closed or with the reduced portion 26 out of alinement with the opening 18. The upper end or stem of the valve 25 normally projects above the face of the mouthpiece and is in such position as to be engaged by the teeth to open the valve when the mouthpiece is in position in the mouth, as shown in Fig. 1. An advantage of this construction is that if by accident the mouthpiece should be dropped from the mouth or intentionally removed the valve automatically closes, thereby preventing waste of air.

Any suitable means may be employed for filling the reservoir, but preferably I provide the same with an air-pump 28, secured thereto in any suitable manner and opening into the reservoir through a nipple 29, closed by an inwardly-opening spring-pressed valve 30.

In use, the reservoir having been previously charged with fresh air and secured to the back of the user, as shown in Fig. 1, the mouthpiece is passed between the lips and into such position as to be gripped by the teeth when moved against the body of the mouthpiece with suflicient pressure to hold the same firmly in position, the protruding stem of the valve 25 being so positioned as to be in the line of movement of the up per teeth, which in closing against the mouthpiece slide the valve to open the same. As the upper teeth come into engagement with the upper surface of the mouthpiece the valve will have been moved far enough to bring the reduced portion 26 of the valve into alinement with the opening 18 and the passage 17 in the mouthpiece, thus opening communication betweenthe reservoir and the mouth of the person using the apparatus. As soon as the pressure of the teeth is removed from the mouthpiece, as when the mouthpiece is removed from the mouth, the spring immediately closes the valve. A decided advantage of this construction resides in the fact that the opening of the valve is incidental to the securing of the mouthpiece in position,thereby obviating any action on the part of the user to open the valve other than the movement of the jaws to secure the mouthpiece in position. As soon as the air in the reservoir becomes too vitiated for use the person using the same leaves the smoke or gas charged room or other place and opening the valve in the mouthpiece operates the pump until the foul air is discharged through the opening 18. That valve is then closed and the pumping operation continued until the reservoir is properly recharged.

In addition to being used by firemen the apparatus may be employed with equally advantageous results by workmen employed in vocations to which offensive odors or fumes are incident, and it may also be kept in hotels and dwellings to be used by the occupants in case of confiagration.

In using the apparatus it is intended that a shield be employed to guard the eyes from smoke, and also a suitable device or hood for closing the nostrils, all as shown in Fig. 1. With such device and the apparatus herein described there is no danger of suffocation or inconvenience, irrespective of the density of the smoke or fumes, so long as the supply of air in the reservoir remains sufficiently pure to be breathed.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a device of the class described, in combination, an air-reservoir, a mouthpiece having a breathing-opening and adapted to be gripped between the teeth of the user to secure the same in the mouth, a connection between the opening and the reservoir, and a valve controlling the passage of air through the opening and in position to be opened by the movement of the jaws in gripping the mouthpiece with the teeth to hold the same.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, an air-reservoir, a mouthpiece adapt-- ed to be gripped between the teeth of the user and having a breathing-opening and a passage communicating with the breathing-opening, a connection between the outer end of the passage and the reservoir, a valve-chamber communicating with the passage, and a spring-pressed valve sliding in the chamber and normally closing the passage and having a stem projecting through the top of the mouthpiece in position to be engaged by the teeth of the user to open the valve as the mouthpiece is gripped by the teeth to secure the same in position for use.

3. A mouthpiece for devices of the general character described having a breathing-opening and adapted to be gripped between the teeth of the user to hold the same and a valve controlling the passage of air through the opening and having a stem normally projecting beyond the face of the mouthpiece in the line of movement of the teeth whereby coincidently with the gripping of the mouthpiece by the teeth the valve is opened.

In testimony whereofI aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. MADSEN.

Witnesses LEON T. BAGLEY, ARTHUR B. SEIBoLD. 

